Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-10-01
Scratching Birds.

OUR common fowls, scratching In the
garden with their strong blunt claws,
and calling their little broods to share
the dainties they have found there,
may furnish an illustration of this class
of birds. They pass most of their time
upon the ground, as we know, and sell
dom fly higher than is required to
reach their roosting-place; consequent
ly their wings are weak, and they make
peculiar whirring sound when they
attempt to fly. The scratching birds
mostly wander about in focks, one
male accompanying each flock, and
taking no part in building the nests or
helping to raise the young birds. Their
nests are usually upon the ground, and
the pretty, downy little chicks are able
to run about as soon as they leave the
egg.
Turkeys, which are still found wild
in some parts of North America, are
scratching birds; as also are the gor-
geous peafowls from India. The male
bird, or peacock, as he is called, is
celebrated for his long train of feath-
ers, decorated with eye-like spots of
metallic colors. The upper feathers
comprising the train are shorter than
those beneath them, and in conse-
quence of this arrangement the spots
near their tips are all displayed, max
ing magnificent array of feathers
long enough to trail for some distance
on the ground, but in stepping the
peacock lifts it slightly to prevent its
dragging. Altogether his movements
are such as to give an observer the idea
that he never wholly forgets his hand
some train. To manage and display
such train is certainly no slight mat
ter. Then see him take some stately
position, and slowly bend his head from
side to side, as if to give the full bene-
fit of the sunlight to his glistening
neck and head, and you will not won
der he has been called a proud bird.
When a sudden fancy takes him, the
peacock can lift up his tail into the air
and spread out the feathers into .
broad fan. The hen looks very meek
beside her mate. She has no train at
all, and her plumage is a modest
brown, while the prevailing colors of
the male are blue and green.
Pheasants are also natives of Asia,
and they, too, are brilliant birds. The
golden and the silver pheasants and the
argus are all exceedingly handsome.
The gayly colored scratching birds,
such as peacocks and pheasants, are
mostly jungle birds of tropical lands,
and their brilliant hues blend well with
the bright flowers and the pretty fruits
and berries upon which they feed. On
the other hand, cartridges, guinea
fowls, and scratching birds in general
have dingy spotted plumage resem-
bling the ground upon which they sit
or run, and by this means they escape
the notice of birds of prey.
Partridges, of which we have just
spoken, pass the winter in our fields
and meadows. Early in the spring
they select their mates, and begin to
build their simple nests close by the
root of some tuft of grass or cornstalks.
The nest occupies slight depression
in the ground, and is often placed
where overhanging grasses naturally
conceal it and the fifteen or twenty
pure white eggs. Young cartridges are
very active, and they have no sooner
left the shell than they start off to run,
following their mother like brood of |
chickens, and nesting under her wings |
when she is at rest. It is well that |
they can run. for if they were not |
able thus to take care of them
selves, these tiny little birds, in |
their open home on the ground. would |
stand poor chance for life. The cum
ming mother does what she can to |
ward off danger to the little ones by |
lameness, in order to entice |
foes away from her nest. When alarm
ed she makes noise to attract atten-
ton, then throws herself on the ground |
in full sight, and futters along, drag
ging her wings as If severely wounded.
After she has led her pursuers far |
enough from the nest her object is &C
and then she starts up
and flies away in as good condition as
ever.
Quails are smaller than cartridges,
but their habits are similar, and their |
clear call of "Bob White" is familiar to |
most boys in the country. Our quails |
and cartridges both differ from the |
English birds bearing the same name. |
Pigeons are placed among scratching
birds, although in development they |
are greatly in advance of others of the |
class; for they are good fiers, they
have slender toes for perching, and |
they build their nests in trees. Another |
striking difference may be noticed in
the young birds, newly born SQUAD |
being perfectly naked, and as helpless
and uninteresting as can well be
imagined. It is nevertheless an object |
of tender care with its parents. both of !
whom secrete in their crops q soft
milky substance with which to feed
their little ones. Taking the bills of |
the young birds in their own bills. the